Philly's Celebrities Share Their Favorite Beer and Bars

Favorite beer: Right now my favorite beer is Sixpoint Sweet Action. I tried it for the first time about two months ago because I was a sucker for the packaging—all of the Sixpoint beers have super cool can designs! It was super tasty, and because it’s a tallboy can, I can drink one or two and that is totally enough for me!

Favorite place to drink: It’s hard to think of a place where I like to drink beer that’s not a comedy show! I like drinking beer at the Dive during Jaime Fountaine’s Second Stories, and I also really like Bar (at 13th and Sansom) because it doesn’t feel like a typical Center City establishment!

Marc Vetri, chef/owner, Vetri, Alla Spina, Amis, Osteria

Favorite beer: My favorite beers right now are the Balladin beers from Italy, Victory Golden Monkey and Rocheford 10. As far as Balladin beers go, I love the complex flavors and the less hoppy style. I could never get into Heinekin and those big hoppy style beers, so I never drank beer much. Rocheford was really the first beer to drink with food, it paired so well. Victory’s Golden Monkey started me off in noticing more nuances with beer and once I started with beers from Italy I’ve been an avid fan.

Favorite place to drink: Alla Spina—I’m a bit biased—is the best place to go right now for beer. First, because it has a great range of beers on tap and in bottle, things you really don’t see anywhere else. Second, because it’s an amazing restaurant as well, with innovative food. Most beer centric places focus on either beer or food. One always outshines the other. That doesn’t happen here. If you’re looking for a place that’s not mine, I would go to Belgian Café: great list of beers and they always have my Rochefort.

Favorite place to drink: That’s tough. So many great places constantly opening. You’ll usually find me at wherever has the best event that day.

Dayle Steinberg, CEO of Planned Parenthood

Favorite beer and place to drink it: I’m mostly a chardonnay woman, but after a long day of protecting women’s health from nasty legislation. I’ll drop by Vedge for a Stateside Saison Ale. It has a unique flavor, and I’ll use any excuse to go to Vedge.

Zachary Miller, keyboardist, Dr. Dog

Favorite beer: I always look for a cask beer when I’m out at a bar. I remember having a Yards IPA at the new Khyber and loving it. It had all the flavor without the carbonation, which can overwhelm the drink for me sometimes.

Favorite place to drink: With a 1-year-old son to keep track of, it’s not like I’ve been out on the town much of late. But when I was able to I’d usually go to Fiume. I love that there’s no facade, literal or metaphorical; it’s just the front room of a second story apartment turned into a bar. It’s proudly sans TV and it’s tiny. Despite this, they have a huge beer selection and they can guide you through them all.

Paul Triggiani, comedian

Favorite beer: Most people care about taste, but I pick my favorite beer based on cold index. Beer is so hard to figure out—is it cold or not? I like beer that comes with a distinct indicator of how cold it is—when the Rockies turn blue, it’s ready for drinking! This is all a ridiculous lie; I drink Narragansett.

Favorite place to drink: Murph’s Bar. The sign out front says “A Comfortable Place to Be,” which it is, and that’s why I love it. It’s never too crowded or too expensive, and sometimes you just want to be surrounded by friends. If you can’t have that, you’ll settle for old drunks who think they’re your friends, which is something Murph’s can also provide.Denis Devine, producer, Radio Times with Marty Moss-Coane

Favorite beer: If I’m really treating myself, I choose Victory Golden Monkey (packs a punch) or Boddington’s (just love that creamy head and the settle). I used to love Red Lion of Wilkes-Barre’s Stegmaier when, up until last year, they sold it in the returnable(!) big bottles. But my regular beers of choice are Philadelphia Brewing Company’s hoppier staples, the Newbold IPA or Pennsylvania Pale Ale. I also like that they’re super-local to me, and that I get a Kensington Community Food Co-op discount at PBC.

Favorite place to drink: I was going to list my favorite Fishtown gastropubs, but crowds suggest they’re doing just fine already without more publicity. There’s nothing like finishing up a neighborhood cleanup or tree-planting and being rewarded with draft beer at the tasting room at the PBC, though.Kathleen Volk Miller, co-editor, Painted Bride Quarterly

Favorite beer: Allagash white or Allagash Black.

Favorite place to drink: At Eulogy, because either goes so well with the amazing mustard-sauced mussels.John Emory, owner, Badmaster Records

“They included a good number of clueless, unadventurous beer drinkers. I'm surprised none of them mentioned Bud Light in those sweet, blue bottle/can deals you find all over the street, but you know those must be great because of the way they make people go “Woooooo!” when they drink them. I understand the point wasn’t to interview people inside the Philly beer scene, but some of these are like promoting restaurant week by talking to folks about their love of Campbell’s soup and Wendy’s burgers. Other articles about beer week have been about establishing Philly as a premier beer city. I think this one shows how far we have to go yet. Most people are still staring at the back of the cave.”

6. Anonymous said... on Jun 4, 2012 at 06:05PM

“For a guy named Joe Sixpack waitta not commit to anything ever.. should've excluded him for that alone.”

7. melissa bang-bang said... on Aug 8, 2012 at 09:08PM

“JB, Have you been to Wendy's lately? They got rid of their taco salad for this crap Santa Fe salad or something!!! I see where they were going changing iceberg to spring mix, but the hot chili totally wilts the greens. And the avocado salad... if you can even call it that... I mean, EWE! SO DISAPPOINTING!

@ Anonymous said... “where are the celebs?” So sorry, they should've said philebrities instead of celebrities. We're not famous, just popular, obviously some more than others. I know, I know, your feelings are hurt cause you wanted to play reindeer games too. I'm sorry!